The Demon Inside defender verse
by skargasm
Summary: Angel realises something while in his healing sleep..


**kissbingo :** face : eyelids  
**Title :** The demon inside...  
**Pairing :** highlight to see but it might spoil things a little..Angel/Cordelia...  
**Summary :** Thoughts during a healing sleep... defender!verse  
**Rating :** PG

The demon liked the voice. It was calm and soothing as it spoke - it didn't matter what it was saying. As it lay healing, it could sense many things - shouting and screaming when it's vessel was first hurt. The journey back to the lair had been full of noise and then it was laid gently down, and was fed - oh, bliss, human blood! The vessel tended to eschew human blood, thinking animal was sufficient. But the demon - oh the demon much preferred human. From the source was best, but this was good too.

The vessel was cleaned and covered so the demon felt warmth. Minions came and went, and it could hear them whispering to each other - asking if the vessel was awake yet, if there were any changes. One the demon recognised as it's Childe came often, and the demon was soothed by the presence of family. It had raged a little when it realised that Childe had taken a consort, but the consort smelled good - smelled other, so not mere food, _almost_ worthy. And the demon would be happy to partake of Sire's rights if Childe was not so _sensitive_ about such things.

The demon knew that the minions had called her - the Slayer - and that she was coming. It raged silently - the vessel's unthinking devotion to the enemy made it so angry. It's one true desire was to rend her limb from limb, but the vessel said no. Even when they were bound together - the vessel finally accepting that the demon was there to stay - it insisted on being with the Slayer. It was an abomination, but the demon could not force the vessel to stay away from her - if it tried to do so, the vessel stopped feeding on even the animal blood. Brooding the Childe called it, and the demon laughed for the Childe spoke true.

Ahhh, but this one - yes, this one it well understood and shared the vessel's feelings. Oh, it tried to push them down and hide them behind 'friendship', but this one was beautiful - to the demon **and** to the vessel. Beautiful, strong, determined and demonic. Everything that the demon and vessel could desire. And now, while the vessel was recovering, the demon could wallow in the attention without having to listen to justifications and excuses, internal protestations against the way they both felt.

Scenting the air, the demon could tell this one was hurting - wanted so much to take the demon's pain away. When this one was alone with the vessel, it laid gentle kisses on it's eyelids, stroked it's hair, whispered of true love and devotion. It liked the kisses to it's eyelids the most - arousing scent enveloping it as the body leaned over, soft lips touching the sensitive skin of it's forehead and eyelids, hair tickling as it fell onto it's face. Obviously this one did not consciously realise that when it kissed the demon's eyelids and upper face, it unthinkingly concentrated on where it's ridges would be when in it's true face. An erogenous zone, a place to give comfort, to soothe during times such as these. The demon soaked these demonstrations up as it's due, and plotted. The Slayer was going to accept the vessel's claim, and the demon could not, would not let this happen. It was time to let it's feelings be known and force the vessel to finally _see_ what was before it's eyes, what was in it's heart. For the demon had a heart too - it might be blacker than a mere humans, but it was there. And the demon wanted nothing more than to take this one for it's own, claim it, mark it, let the world know that a worthy consort had finally been chosen. This one accepted all facets - the 'pretty' vessel **and** the demon inside, something the Slayer had never done. Why would the vessel want to tie itself for eternity to one who could never appreciate or accept all that it was?

"If you can hear me at all, you big lunk, we need you to come back. Ok we don't _need_ you because we've obviously coped without you before, but it wasn't as good as it is when you're around. And who am I going to torture if you don't wake up? Wesley just smiles and ignores me. Gunn is too busy with his street gang. You're it buster, and I refuse to let you waste away for stupid reasons. And for that matter, you better wake up and deal with Spike. Do you have any idea how expensive it's going to be to fumigate this place from all the cigarette smoke? It's a damn good job I had the demon upgrade because my lungs would be _black_ after just spending a couple of days with him. And he and Xander have zero class - they're even making out in your office!" She paused. "Huh, thought that might get a rise out of you but it looks like I'm going to have to bring out the big guns. Angel, if you don't wake up, I'm going shopping with your credit card, and I will hit every shoe sale and department store I can!"

A knock on the door interrupted her diatribe, and pulling her hand away from where her fingers were unconsciously carding through his hair she turned to see Buffy walking into the room.

"Is he - has there been any change?" Buffy asked, shrugging her coat off as she came over to the bed. Cordy shook her head, shifting her chair backwards to make room for the other girl.

"Oh my God, look!" Stunned, they both turned as the figure on the bed stirred and shifted, dazed brown eyes opening and focussing on them both. Relieved smiles spread across their faces, both instinctively moving forwards. Realising what she had done, Cordelia stepped back and allowed Buffy to move towards Angel. She shook her head, telling herself she should let the others know that he was awake but found herself standing still, silently reassuring herself that he really had woken up.

"Oh Angel, we've all been so worried. I got here as soon as I could". Wrapping her arms around him, Buffy held him tightly. God, how close had it been? All this time she had had her head up her ass and she could have lost him.

He pulled away from her hold, making a coughing noise, obviously trying to speak. Apologising, she turned to the table and reached for the glass of water, handing it to him and watching him drink. He drained the glass, then passed it back to her before pushing himself up on his hands so that he was sat which his back pressed against the headboard.

"Cordy ..." he rasped out, throat still dry.

"Yeah, Cordelia has been helping take care of you but I'm here now." Turning to look at the girl who had still not left the room, Buffy smiled at her gratefully before returning her attention to the vampire. "Angel, I'm so sorry for how things have been - I - I would really like it if - "

"No, you don't understand - I want Cordelia". Hearing her name, Cordelia stepped back towards the bed on the opposite side of Buffy.

"Errrm - she's right here. Did you need to send her for something?" He shook his head, frustrated with his inability to speak clearly. He felt so weak, so disorientated, but reacting instinctively he turned away from Buffy. Reaching out, he snagged Cordelia's hand and pulled her towards him, tugging at her so that she fell onto the bed next to him.

"No. I just want Cordelia".


End file.
